Apparatus pob



H. E. M CRERY ET AL J 24, APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING BIIIETALLIGBILLE'I'S R 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed June 23, 1926 H. E. MccRERYET AL June 24, 1930 Y H. 1 W WEE d W 5 m s 7 3 5a.. 7 #5. 1 H I ew R mam w n B 5 C 6 T. 2 m w A m .u m w ,m B 9 h m m Q KM. .mm M J Y- m d U wu $3 m v Wm an m a a M m w n F D s T m A w A H. E. MQCRE'RY AL @June 24,1930 APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING BIMETALLIC LETS Re. 17,717

. a 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed June 25 1926 Reiuued June 24, 1930UNITED srArE-s PATENT-OFFICE nanonn a nocmr am) man 1:. .rassm, or none,rmmvaxn; amorous ro oorrnawnm swam. comm, oronassron'r, mrmvma, aoonroaa'non O1 PINNBYLVAN IA APPARATUS FOR BmITALIiIO 3m I Original in.1,141,784, dated may s, 930, Serial No. 119,639, filed June as, me.Application to:

reissue filed April 18, 1980. Serial Io. 444,847.

This invention relates to an apparatus for and similar ingots of varyingcross-sectional- '5 shapes and for casting cop r or. similar 'ja'cketsaround such ingots. n a copending application for molding method andapfieratus therefor, Serial No. 240,311, filed cember 15, 1927, whichapplication is a division of the present application, we have describedand claimed a molding method and apparatus particularly adapted forusein connection with the invention disclosed and claimed in the presentapplication. I v 16 In the metal industries it is the usual p tice toform bi-metallic billets by casting a jacket of cop 1 about a bar oringot of steel 'or the like, at considerable di culty has beenexperienced incau'sing an intimate co- :0 hesion of the copper to thebase bar due to the formation of oxids on the surfaces of the bar beforethe co per casting operation can be completed. n carrying out the usual7 operation a base bar or in mold, the inner walls of to and spaced fromthe surfaces of-the base bar, and the molten 00 per is poured-around thebase bar. It has 11 found diflicult .to properly retain the base barscentered with-. in the molds, and accordingly the copper j acketing ofthe finished: billets usually is o uneven thickness. According to thepresent practicetherefore many of the billets must be discarded asimperfect. H

the base bar into the mold and pour the molten metal therein. A. furtherobject is to provide a method of thecharacter outlined wherein the basebar is heatedto a relatively high temperature racerly heated.

' A further object is to provide an apparatus 'port the. closure for thelatter durin the heating opferation, means bein provi ed for lowering Ithebar into the mol tion is accom lished.

ot is placed in a" w ich are parallel.

It is an important object of the present ina to exclude air from an :andsubsequently to immediately introduce substantiallyput of contact withthe atmosphere to minimize the formationof oxids on the surfaces of thebase bar and to immediate- 1y introduce the base bar into the mold andpour the molten metal therein the transferring of the base. bar from-theheating means to the-mold being accomplished without br ngin the base arinto substantial contact wit the atmosphere.

' 'A further object of the invention is to provide a novel form ofapparatus includinga closed heating unit havin means for an porting abar therein an adapted to be brought into vertical alineme'nt with theheating means therebelow to directly receive the bars after they havebeen propof the character just outlined wherein the mold is providedwith a movable bottom section adapted to be moved upwardlyto supase barin the heater and to form a after the heating opera- A further 0ject'ia'torovide novel means for excluding air from t e bar as it istransferred from a heating unit to a mold to mini.- mize the formationof oxids on the surface of f the bar.

A further objectis to provide a noveLform of air excluding meanscomprising a member adapted to be arranged between a heatin unit and amold and adapted to be clam in position about the per end of the latterto retain the heatin a bar as it is transferred from the heating unit tothe mold, the air excludin means be ing adapted to open to permit-t emolds to be removed. a

A further object is to provide a heat e xcludin device of the character.referred to end of a heating unit and tobe clamped around the u perendof. one of the molds to exclude air om the latter, the means fortransferring the bar from the heating unit to the mold being adapted tocreate a partial vacuum to reduce the amount of air in conmovable mol Iwhich is adapted to be carried by the lower v a jacketing of tact withthe bar after it is placed in position in the mold and before the moldis moved.

- A 'further objectis to. provide novel'means for centering -the'=basebar in the heating umt to provide even heating of the .bar, and toproperly center the, bar in the mold whereby uniform thickness. may becast around the bar. "1'

Afurther object is'to' rovide a novel form o of mold having movab eupper and lower receivethe molten metal and to provide means endsprovided .with inwardly projecting -cen-' terin means adapted to entercenter openings ormed in the bars.

A further object is to provide novel melins for forming center openingsin the bars.

. A further objectis to rovide a pa1r of ,drills adapted to be move intocontact with the bar to provide the center opemngs referredto while thebar is ma horizontal position, and to provide means for swmglng the barto a vertical osition to adapt -1t for m 'sertion in the mo d.

A further object is to for removing the molds the heatingunits to thecasting furnace to iprovide novel means I for discharging the finishedbillets from the molds and returning the latter to the1r operativepositions beneathithe heating un ts.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become a parentduring the course of the following dbscri tion.

In the drawings we ave shown one em- .bodiment of the invention. In theshowing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same,

Figure 3 is 'a side elevation of the ingot elevating device,

Figure 4 is an end elevation of a somewhat 0 similar device employedwhen discharging the billets from the molds, 1' Figure 5 is a centralvertical sectlonal view through a plurality of molds, heating units andassociated elements, parts being shown in elevation,

Figure 6 is a detail sectlonal v1ew through the upper end of one of themolds,

T Figure 7 is a plan view of one of the molds, Figure 8 is an enlargedplan view of the center hole forming means and associated eleents artshein shown in section, -Figin e 9 is a side elevation of the same, partsbeing omitted,

Fi ure 10 is a detail view of the mold liftin evice, 7 Figure 11 is afront elevation of one form of heat retaining means, parts bemg brokenawa Figure 12 isa lanviewof the same, g Figure 13 is a ront elevation ofa mod fied form of heat retaining device,

Figure 14 is a plan view of the'same, and t Figure 15 is a detailsectional new on the line 15-15 of Fi re 13. v i v Referring to Figures1 and 2 the numeral pair of standards 11 is 7 "charge end of theconveyor and are adapted in slots 18. Any suitable means may be ompoints adj acent'- toward the 10 designates a gravity or other conveyoradapte to convey the base bars or ingots to the center hole formingmeans. As shown, a

arrangednear the dis- .to support rolls 12 and 13. The roll 12 isprovided at opposite ends with stub shafts 14 rotatable in fixedbearings 15 carried by the standards 11, while the roll 13 issimilaryprovided with stub shafts 16 mounted in arings 17 which arevertically movable ployed for efl'ecting the vertical movement of theroll 13 for a purpose to be described. The rolls 12 and 13 formsupporting means for each successive base bar or ingot 19, as shown inFi e 9.

Eac standard 11 is preferably provided with a horizontal sup ort 20' roecting outwardly therefrom an providEd with guides 21. A motor 22 ismounted to reciprocate in the 'des of each support 20 andfeach motor 1sa apted to drive a countersink 23 or, similar drilling device adapted tobe moved into contact with the ends of the ingots to provide centerholes therein. The rolls 12 and 13 are preferably placed in such aposition that when an ingot of given size is arranged thereon, the axisof the ingot will coincide with the axes of the motors 22.

It-will be obvious that lowering of the roll 13 will discharge eachsuccessive ingot from the rolls 12 and 13, and a suitable conveyor apurpose to be described. The free end of the' receiver 26 is normally astationary post 32. Means is provided for raisin the ingots toa verticalposition by swinglng the receiver 26, for a purpose to be described. Asshown, a cylinder 33 is provided with a piston 34 secured to a pistonrod 35,and reciprocation of the piston is accomplished by theintroduction of com.-

secured to the sha 27, and this arm is pro-' vided in. its op o'site endwith a slot 40 through which t e pin 36 projects. It will be apparentthat introduction of pressure 1nto the right end of thecylinder 33, as

viewed in igure 3, will draw the piston34 left, thus swinging the arm39to the dotted line'position and elevatin the receiver 26 to a verticalposition, the ingot supported upon Eressed air onopposite sides of, thepiston in the receivercontacting with the stop 31 to limit its movement.

After the ingot has been elevated to a vertical position, means isprovided for lifting the ingot and inserting it into one of the heatingunits to be described. For elevating .the ingots, we provide anelectro-magnet 41 suspended from a cable 42. This cable may be connectedat its upper end to a suitable carriage movable along an ordinaryoverhead trackway (not shown) While we have described the use of anelectro-magnet, we prefer to use such a lifting device merely as amatter of convenience and may employ'any suitable lifting means as willbe apparent.

Referring to' Figure 1, the numerals 43 and 44 deslgnate a pair ofbatteries of heatin units suitably supported in frames 45 a su stantialdistance a vs the floor, as shown in Figure 5. These batteries may beduphcates of each other, or may be formed in any desired sha e accordinto the cross sectional shapes oftiie ingots. Figure l, we haveillustrated the heating units 43 as adapted to receive circular ingots,whilethe batte 44 is adapted to receive ingots which are ob on in crosssectional shape. 1 Aside from the di ference in cross sectional shapes,the batteries 1 43 and 44 are identical, and only one battery. need bedescribed in detail.

Referring to Figures 1 and 5, each battery 43 and 44 consists of aplurality of heating ated as a whole which is surrounded y a waterjacket 47,

- water being supplied to the jackets through any suitab e type. .Eachunit 'is with a cover hinged at one S] e to the vided foreach of theheatingunits.

a manifold 48 and drawn 03- from the jackets through a manifold 49. Eachunit is provided with a central opening 48', and theunit is ada ted tobe heated by coils 49' of rovided unit as at 51, the opposite side ofeach cover being adapted to be secured in closed position by a clampingbolt 52. Each cover50 is provided onits lower face with a conicalcentral projection 53 arranged co-axial with the opening 48' when thecover is closed.

As illustrated in Figure 1, each battery 43 and 44 consists of two linesof heating units for convenience in operatin the apparatus oldsdesignated aswill become apparent. asa whole b the numeral 54 areadapted to be brought into position beneath the -heat-.

ing units 46, ,one mold preferably being gro- - molds are preferablymounted upon what are is provide known in the art as buggies indicatedin the drawings by the numeral 55. One bu for each of the molds an ismounted npon wheels 56 traveling u n rails 57. Therails extendtransversely o the apparatus, as shown in Figure}, each buggy whenremoved from beneath its corresponding an open lower end 60. A

obviously will ing heating unit, moved outwardly with respect to eachbattery of heating units, along the rails 57.

:Each mold is ggovided with an axial ficeivmg opemn corres ondmg' nerain shape and sl ze to the o peni 4 3 of th e heating units. At its loweren each mold is provided with a conical depression 59 hav- [plunger orsupporting member 61 1s arrange in each of the molds and each of theseplungers is provided with stantially snugly} fit withinthe molds, and

centered therein. Each of the plungers 18 provided on its u per facewitha conical elevatign 63 arrange co-a'xially wlththe mold, an thelower faceof each plunger is provided with a recess 64 for a urpose tobe described. Each of the Jmol s is preferably of the split type comrising a pair of complementary sections w ich may be separated to permitthe finished billets to be removedtherefrom. The split feature of themold 1s m itself old and well known and no detailed description thereofis believed to be necessa Each mold is adapted to be brought into aconical face 62 adapted to seat against the surface 59. The plungers 61sub axial alinement with its correspondin heata plunger or piston 67secure to the lower end of a piston rod 68, the upper end of which isadapted to be received in one of the recesses 64.- -M eans (not shown)is provided for introdu'cmg compressed air or other fluid into the lowerends of the cylinders 65 to elevate the pistons 67 as will be apparent.When pressure is released from the lower ends of the cyhnders, thepiston rods 68 will assume rts for the ingots the position shown in theleft handside' of Figure 5 of. the drawings. Thus it will be apparentthat'when the pistons 67 are withdrawn the buggies 55 are freely'movable along the rails. From the drawings it will be apparent that eachmold, when in operative pos tion, is arran ed beneath and adjacent itscorresponding eating devicewhereby a bar lowered from a heatin' deviceinto the mold W111 not come into su tantial contact with the atmosphere,thus minimizing the formation of oxids'on the surface of the bar.

However, we prefer to rovide means for ex-' eluding air from thear-duriiig the transferrm scribe ,later. It will apparent that when oneof the" pistons 67 is lowered to normal position, the

plunger 61 associated therewith is adapted tooperation, this means beingde-' support the ingot within the corresponding mold, andzmeans isprovided for closmg the 11 per end of'the mold as shown in detail nigures 6 and 7. As shown, a cover69 1s provided'with openings 70 throughwhich project ears 71 carried by the upper end of each mold. These earsare provided with openings 72 for a purpose to be described. A screw .73projects through each cover 69 and is provided at its lower end with a.conical extremity 7 4 adapted to engage within one of the centerholes ofthe ingot as shown. An operating handle 75 is adapted to rotate thescrew 7 3 as will be apparent.

After one of the molds is closed, as shown in Figure 6, it is moved frombeneath its cor-- responding heatin unit by rolling the bu gy Q 55 alongthe rai s '57. The mold is t en adapted to be-picked up by an elevatingdevice 76 which comprises a pair of depending arms" 77 having hooks 78at their lower ends. These hooks are arranged substantiall horizontallyand are received in the o emngs 72 whereby the mold may be lifted anthe'coverr 69 maintained in closed osition. A suspension member 79 (seenected to wheels 80 which are ada ted to run uponrails designated as awhole y the nu.-. meral 81. The suspension member is provided with atransverse pin82 which supports earns 83 adapted to be operated by alever 84. The cams are adapted to contact swung in one direction.

- normal positions on the 'on the rails 57;]

with lateral projections 85 carried by-the arms 77 whereb the latter maybe elevated to lift the mold rom its buggy when the lever 84 is Thetrack 81 is provided with-( sections 86 arranged on opposite sides ofeach battery 43 and 44. These track sections are adapted to permit theelevating devices to be brought in proximity-to any set of rails 57 aswill be" apparent. The rail sections 86 arebroughtto f converging points87 upon oppositesides-of,

a furnace 88 which normally maintains abody:

of metal in a molten condition, the m etal. ber ing adapted to bedischarged fromthe furnace through spouts 89. From each converging point87 therails lead Itoadditional sections 90 which serve as coolingracksfor a purpose to be described. From the cooling racks the rails againconverge to the point 91,

and outwardly of the point 91 rail-sections 92 V are providedforreturning the molds to their Beneath'the railfipoint .91 an additionalauxiliary buggy 93 is arranged, and this buggy is adapted to roll uponrails 94. The

(lowering device indicated asa whole by the numeral 95 is arrangedadjacent-the outer end of-the rails 94. The lowering device is .similarto the device previously described for felevating. the ingots to avertical position after the center holes have been drilled therein, and"accordingly the lowering device" need igure '5) is conthe lower end ofeach heatin unit by buggies supported not be described in detail.Certain partsof I upon the movable section 98 may be lowered todischarge the billets upon a take-off conve or 99'-'.

Figures 11 to 15 inclusive, we have shown means for excluding air fromthe bar when it is transferred from a heating. unit to one of the molds.As shown the numeral 99 designates an air excluding device adapted foruse in connection with one of the circular molds; Thedevice 99 comprisesa rear. section 100- and a. pair of front sections 101. Pivot ins 102connect the rear section 100 with t e forward sections 101, and the.pins.

102 extend upwardly'as shown in Figurejll for connection with the lowerend of one of the heating units. The device 99 is circular as previouslystated and one of the devices is arranged in axial alinement with eachof the heating units. It will-be apparent that one of the devices 99 ispermanently secured against pivot pins 109. The device 99 is lined witha heat resisting material 103, and in practice we prefer to provide alining formed of asbestos or the like. It will be obvious that thedevice 99 IIIIIStIQQx-OPGIlGd to permit a mold toqbe withdrawntherefrom, and accordingly the forward sections 101 are adapted to swingthe outwardly to permit the mold to beremoved,

the outward swinging of the sections 101. be ing permitted by the pivotconnections between the sections 100 and-101. In Figure 5 of'thedrawings .we have shown two of the heat retaining devices 99 arrangedinoperatlve posltion, another of these devices being shown open at t lftside of Figure 5, to permit the mold to-be withdrawn. It will beobvious'that'when one of the devices is closed,

it is-clamped firmly about its corresponding mold to exclude airtherefrom. Means are. rovided for clamping the free end's'of the.

orward sections 101 together. As shown, one of the sections 101 isprovided with a lug 103 having an arcuate outer face 104. A

locking member 105 is pivotally connected to the free end of the othersection 101 by a pin- I 106, the lock being retained in position by .a

I cotter pin or other fastening device 107. The

locking device is provided with an inner arcuate recess 108 having awall arranged eccentric to the pin 106 to engage the Jarcuate face 104of the lug 103. Thelocking device is ISO . use inconnection wit pro ectupwardly as shownin F' formed in the free on lower 7 Air is admittedinto one of the cylinders 65 r provided with an operating handle 109 topermit it to be revolved.

In ,Fi res 18 to inclusive, we have shown a eat re device 110 adaptedfor uare molds, but it will be apparent that the device easily can bealtered to accommodate an desired form of mold. The device 110 .in udes.a stationary 1 section 111st the rear thereof and movable side sections112. The adjacent ends of the sections 111 and 112 are pivotallyconnected by pins or rods 118, the upper .ends of which re 13, forconnection with one of the heating devices whereb the device 110 may berigidly secured ereto.

Amovable front section 114 is hinged to the forward 'end of one of thesections 112' b a pivot pin 115. The forward end of the ot er section112-is provided with an extension116 which projects throu anopening 117Th d of thS'ZQCtlOIIII 1114. epro'ectmg' 'e'n -116ispr0vi e wit a ug117' which is adapted to be engaged b an eccentric camface 118 carried.y a 100 'n meinber 119. The locking member is pivo to the free end ofthe section114 by a pin.

120 and is dle 121. I v 1 The operation of the apparatus is as folowsz'The ingots are preferably provided with etched surfaces whereby thecopper coating to be ap lied may more firmly engage the surfaceo the t.The etching operation may be perform in any desired manner'and forms nopart of the present invention. The

provided with an operating hanetched ingots are fed to the rolls 12 and13 one at a time, and while one of the ingots is in the position shownin Figure 9 the motors 22' are moved inwardly to drill thecenter holes24. The roll .13 is then lowered and the ingot is discharged upon theconveyor 25 which conveys it to the receiver 26. Air is thenadmittedinto the cylinder 33 to elevate the receiver in the manner previouslydescribed whereupon the electro-magnet 41 is ed to pickup the ingot.

to elevate the piston 67 therein to the position shown at the ri ht sideof Figure 5, the plungor 61 in-the mo d bein elevated by the piston rod68 as thelatter is elevated. It will be a arent that the piston rod isfreely mova e through the lower end of the mold to elevate the plunger,and the latter when elevated contacts with and forms a closure :for

the lower end of the heating unit. With the cover of the heating unitopen, the electromagnet is moved over thehe'ating unit and loweredwhereby the ingot is inserted into'the mold and supported upon thepxpnger 61. The cover 50 is then closed and lted, and it will be aparent that the conical projec tions 53 an 63 of the cover 50 andplunger61 pro rly center the t-within the heati Heat is sup E ed b the heat countil the temperature 0 the ingot is raised to the prop? point. Thisoperation usually requires a ut fifteen or twenty min utes, and uponcompletion of the heating oporation, the air is exhausted from the lowerendof the cylinder 65, thus permitting the lunger 61 and the ingot tomove downwardl by gravity into the mold opening 58. It wi 1 be obviousthat the heati operation is carned on with the ingot su' tantially outof contact with the atmosphere whereby oxidat on is materially reduced,and upon completion of the heating :XJOIEHOII the ingot is im- 1mediately introduc 'nto the mold. As previously stated the Inn er 6'1fits snugly within the mold 58, ut 1s slidable therein.

The ingot is su ported on the plunger 61,

and it will be 0 vious that when the piston rod 68 moves downwardly, theplunger and the ingot will be lowered into the mold.

Downward movement of the plunger 61 forces air from the mold through theo ning in the lower end of the mold as will be 0 vious.

With thecover 50 closed, and one of the air excluding devices 99 inposition, it will be apparent that the plunger 61acts to exhaust airfrom the mold thus reducing the pressure of air in the mold and'rarefyin the air thus substantially eliminating oxi ation of the ingot.The air excluding devices also retain the-heat in the ingot until suchtime as the mold is removed 1303361111113 the copper or other metal tobe poure around the ingot. The heat from the ingot expands what littleair remains'inthe mold so that ver little additional 'air will flowtherein a ter the heat retaining device is removed. The member 99readily may be removed by revolving the hairdle 109 to release the cam108 from the lug 103'; whereupon the movable sections 101 may be swungoutwardl as indicated at the left side of Figure 5. t will be obviousthat the heat retaining devicellO ma be operated in a similar manner,the mova le sections 112 and 114 bein' swung outwardly by releasing thelockin evice 119. After the plunger 61 is move to its lowermostposition, and the heat retaining device is open, the buggy upon whichthe mold rests may be withdrawn from beneath the heating unit and thecover 69 applied in the manner previously described. The handle 75 isturned to cause the conical end of the screw 73 to enter the center hole24 at the upper end of the ingot, whereby it will be apparent thatthelatter is firmly centered in the mold and maintained in its centralposition throughout the remainder of the operation. The handle 84 iselevated to lift the mold far enough to clear the buggy whereupon themold may be removed along the rail section 86 to one of the convergingpoints 87. As shown in Figure 7, the cover 69 is relatively narrow,leaving the space between the ingot the moldjwallsopen,

whereupon the molten: copper or other metal may be poured into thisspacefrom one of the spouts '89. After the mo 6. is filledgit may beremoved to one of thecooling rack rail sec-,

tions 90 where it is. permitted to .remain until the temperature of the00 per acket islowered sufliciently tov ermit 1t to solidify.

buggy 93 1s then moved outwar rails 94 to a point 0 posite the receiver96, and with the latter n vertical position, the

billet is moved thereinto either manuallyor otherwise, afterwhich thereceiver is lowered I to ahorizontal position and the completed pouredinto the mold to form the finished billet is dischargedupon the conveyor99'.

tinuously operated to prepare the in otsfor the, casting operation, aplurality of t e heating units andmolds being provided in order that theoperations may be substantially conheated substantially out of contact,wit the atmosphere after which it is immediately introduced into a moldand themolten metal billet.

In the use of the apparatus it has been foundthat the formation of oxidson the ingots .while within the heating units is su b. stantiallyentirely eliminated, thus permitting an intimate cohesion of the copperjacket to the base bar. Changes intemperature of.

the molds cause them to warp slightly, and this warping ordinarilyaffects the thickness of the copper jacketing owing to the shifting ofthe sitions of the ingots. With the present invention, however, the cooeration between the center pro 'ections 53 an 63 with the centeropenings 0 the ingots causesthe' latter to be held in fixed axialalinement with the mold and accordingly a jacketin'g of substantiallvuniform thickness is provided.

It is to be understood that the lprm of our invention herewith shown anddescribed is to betaken as awpreferred example of the same and thatvarious changes-in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be re-7 sorted to without departing from the spirit scope of the subjoined ingtherein adapted to receive an ingot, and

closuremembers for 'the opening in said unit, each of said closuremembers having portions adapted to engage the ingot to retain itcentrally v of the opening in said unit. I

within me spaced he. the walls a 2. :Apparatus of. he characterdescribed A I comprismga heatin unit havin .an' o enin extendingentirely t1? 8 p g ingot, an OfSflld opening, each ofsaidclo'surememerethrough to receivean closure members for opposite endslbers' having portions adapted to engage the closure members for theopening; in said 1 I heating unit, each of said closure members beingprovided on its inner face with a pro:

openings in the ingot whereby the atter will be supported centrallywithin and spaced from the walls of the opening in said heat-, ing n,ingot to retain it -in.position in the heating A p jection. adapted toengage within reformed It will be obvious that allof the heatingvunitsand moldsmay besuccessivel and conv .4; Apparatus of the characterdescribed comprising aheating' unit having alvertical opening extendingtherethrough to receive aningot, a closure memberfor the upper end :ofsaid opening, means for securing said closure member in position againstthe-upper end of said heating unit, a vertically movableclosure memberfor the lower end of said heating unit, and means for vertically mo ingsaid last named closure member. 3

5. Apparatus of the character described comprising a heating unit havinga vertical opening extending therethrough'to receive an ingot, a closuremember for the upper end. \I

of said opening, means for securing sa1d closure member in able closuremem er for the lower end of said heating unit, and means fonverticallymovsaid closure members having portions ada ted to engage portions ofthe ingot where y the latter will be supported centrally within andspaced from the walls of the opening in said heating unit when saidclosure memhere are in operative position.

6. Apparatus of the character described, comprlsmg a vertical heatingunit having an axial opening extending therethrough to re -movableupwardly through t-he openin in said mold to contact with the lower enof said heating unit and being movable down wardly to contact with aportion of said mold ad acent the bottom thereof, and means forvertically moving said closure member.

position, a vertically mov-' 2105 mg said last named closure member,each of and said mold, said closure member being 7. Apparatusconstructed in accordance i with claim-6 provided with a closurememberfor the upper end of said heating unit,"

mislead closure members being rovided on its inner face with aprojection apted to be received .in a preformed o in the whereby thelater wi be centered moving said closure member includes a vert1- callymovable rod ada ted to be disposed wholly beneath said mo d and havingits upper end movable'throu h the openingtherein, said closure membering provided in its lower face with a recess adapted to receive the uperend of saidrod. I

. 9. RP tus of the character 1 described compris ng a heating unithaving a vertical said heatingunit with the openi opening extendingtherethrough to receive ingot, a movable mold having a vertical open ingextending into the upper. end thereof, said mold being adapted forarrangement beneath in said hea'tingunit and said mold in' verticalalinement with each other, and means for transferring the ingot fromsaid heating unitto saidmold.-' I

10. Apparatus constructed in accordance with claim 9 wherein the meansfor transferrin the in at from-saidheating unit to said mo d includes aclosure member for the lower end of said heating unit and verticallymovable means adapted to support said closure member against the lowerend of said heating unit, said vertically movable member being 'ada tedto be moved downwardly to permit sai closure member and the ingot toenter the opening insaid mold.

11.- Apparatus oft-he character describedcomprislng a heating unithaving a vertical opening extending therethrou h to receive an ingot, aclosure member for t e upper end of said heating unit, a mold disposedwholl beneath said heating unit and provided wit a vertical openingextending therethrough and having a restricted lower end to form asugporting shoulder, means for supporting I sai mold for movement towardand away from a position with the opening therein 1n vertical alinementwith the opening in said therein, and vertically movable means adapt--means heating unit, a closure member for the lower end of said mold,said closure member being adapted to rest upon said shoulder, saidclosure member being movable upwardly through the opening in said'moldto contact -with the lower end of said heating unit whereby it isadapted to form a closure for said heating unit and to support the lngoted .to contact with said closure member to support it in positionagairistthe lower end of said heating unit, said vertically movablebeing adapted to be lowered to permlt said lower closure member to restupon said shoulder. a

12. Apparatus constructed in accordance mi 8 upon which said wheels area travel.

13. A paratus constructed in accordance with.c1aim.11 wherein saidvertically mov able means com rises a rod movable verticallythroughsaidmold, a cylinder arranged wholly beneath said mold, and a pistonse-' cured to said rod and reciprocable in said- M cylinder.

axial opening extending therethrough toreceive an ot, a mold'arrangedbeneath said heatin unit in axial alinement therewith and prov'i ed withan axial opening adapted to receive the ingot transferred thereto fromsaid heating unit, and means arranged between said heatin unit and saidmold for excludin air there rom.

15. com rising averticalheating unit having an axia opening extendingtherethrough to receive an inglot, a mold normally arranged be neathsaid eating unit in. vertical alinement therewith and laterally movablefrom normal positions, said mold being provided with an axial openingadapted to receive the ingot transferredthereto from said heating unit,and means arranged between said heating unit and said mold for excludingair from and retaining heat in said heating unit and said mold.

16. Apparatus of the character described compris ng a heating unitadapted to receive an ingot, a mold arranged adjacent said heating unitand provided with an o ening adapted to receive the ingot trans erredthereto from said heating unit, andan air excluding and heat retainingmember arranged between said heat-ing.'unit and said mold.

17. Apparatus'of the character described comprising a heatin unit havingan' axial opening extending t erethrough to receive an ingot, a moldarranged in axial alinement with said heating unit and provided with anopening to receive the ingot transferred thereto from said mold, saidmold being movable from its position in axial alinement with saidheating unit an air excluding and heat retaining member arranged betweensaid mold and said heating unit, said member bein provided with a pairof movable sections an having a portion snugly surrounding a porpparatusof the character describedpparatus of the character described comprisinga vertical heating unit having an tion of said mold, and means forlocking said 18: Apparatus of the character described comprising aheatin unit having an ingot receiving opening in t e bottom thereof, ameme ber normally closing the lower end of said openin tols'u rt ,anjingot, j meene orsuppg rting said nieinber fordov'v-n ward movement towithdraw ingot-from V the heeting unit. I

19. Apparatus of thecheracterdescnhed r comprising a heating having avertical ingot receiving opemng 'in'thebottom there 1 of, :1 blockadeted to be arranged against the bottom of saifheeting form a comm pleteclosure for the lower end of said opening and to. form the .solemeen'sfor supporting an ingot in said o ning, and means forsupportingsaid block or vertical movement. i 20. Apparatus of-the characterdescribed comprising a heeting-unithaving an ingot Y recelvin op'enintherein, and means consti tuting c osures or said opening edapted toQengage solel within the end feces of theingot v to position 1t withinthe heating unit. 1 21. Apparatus of the cheracterdescribed comprising1, heating unit having an ingot receiving openin therein andmeansconstitutingclosures or said opening adapted to engage: solely withinthe end faces of the in- 25 got to positively support'it'centrellywithin the heating unit. v y

In testimony whereof we aflix our signer tures. 1 v

f HAROLD EJMoCRERY. a r v ALBERT JESSE

